Fruit basket top



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May 26, 1931. Vs. H. SHLLER 1,806,717

FRUIfl1 BASKET TOP APPLYING ToolJ Filed Sept. 16, 1929` 2 Sheets-Sheet l I j "k /Q nmwwvaua -ifv-mmmmu May 25, 1931- 1 s. H. sHELLl-:R 1,806,717

FRUIT BASKET TOP APPLYING TOOLS Filed Sept. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL E.A SHELLER, F MARION, PENNSYLVANIA FRUIT BASKET TOP APPLYING TOOL Application filed September 16, 1929. Serial No. 392,885.

is to bend the wire handles or loops carried by the basket, over the projecting ends of the slat on the cover or top. As basketsof fruit are usually packed slightly beyond their tops, to provide good packing and possible shrinkage or settling, considerable -eifort i-s required tp bend the wire loops over the ends of the s at. 1

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved tool or lidder by which the foregoing operation can be quickly eected, in a more or, less semi-automatic manner, with the expenditure of little manual effort on the part of the operator, beside insuring a tight fastening of the cover or lid.

When using my improved lidder or tool, one projecting end'of the slat on the basket top or cover is inserted in one of the wire loops on the basket, after the loop has been -suitably bent, and then the tool is engaged with the remaining projecting end of the slat while the lever or handle of the tool fulcrums on the side of the basket. f The operation ofv the lever forces the remaining wire loop over the end of the tool and bends it so that it straddles the projecting end of the slat, at the same time closing the cover or lid and quickly effecting a secure fastening of the lid to the basket.

The present tool or lidder is adapted for use in fastening the lid or cover to a fruit basket which has been packed in the usual manner,

that is, where packing starts on a facing former which is removed Vafter the packed 4o basket has been inverted to bring it to right side up position, or, for fastening the lid or cover to the basket when the method of packing contemplates the use of the basket cover itself as a facing former, and where no other facing former is employed,as set forth in an i application, Serial No. 392,884, for an improved method which I have executed of even vdate herewith, in which method the basket is Wired por' fastened to the cover when the basketis in inverted position. 50

Therefore,-I have shown and described the tool when used in connection with the ordinary method of packing and also when used in connection with my improved method of packing. j y

While I have found in practice that the tool or lidder hereinafter described and which is s hown'in the accompanying drawings is well adapted to serve its 4purpose, nevertheless I do not limit the invention to the details thereof except where specifically recited in the claim-s. i

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l,` is a side elevation of a basket and its lid or cover in inverted position, illustrating how the tool is used in connection with a method ofpacking such as setforth in my aforesaid application, the parts being in the position where the closing action is starting;

Fig. 2, is a similar view illustrating the position of the parts when the closing action has been completed;

Fig. 3, is a side elevation illustrating the beginning of the closing action when the tool is used in connection with a fruit basket which has been packed by the use of a facing former which-s afterward removed and the basket placed in upright position before the lid or cover is applied; and i Figs. 4 and 5, areV detail views of'ropposite sides of the tool when in collapsedcondition.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the present improved tool is shown in connection lwith a fruit basket 1,' liner 2, top or lid 3, and cap 4 arranged and adapted for carrying out the final step involved in the new method of packing fruit set forth in my aforesaid application.

In Fig. 3, the tool is illustrated in connection with, a fruit basket and lid or cover wherein the lid is applied and fastened when the basket is in upright position.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the basket 1 has the usual bendable wire loops or handles 5 which are intended to receive the ends 6 of the slat 7 of the lid whose ends project beyond the lid.

In using the tool, the basket having been inverted and telescoped over the liner 2 according to the method of my aforesaid application, one of the loops 5 is bent to receive one of the ends 6, it being understood that the fruit will cause the basket to `be disposed substantially as shown, requiring considerable pressure to engage the remaining (right hand) loop or handle with the right hand end 6.

The tool is now brought into use to draw the basket and lid together and'bend thev right hand loop and slip it over the right hand end 6.

The improved tool mainly comprises three parts, namely, the hook 8, bender 9, and lever or handle 10. The hook 8 is hinged to the fulcrum end 11 of the lever 10, which is intended to bear on the side of the basket 1, by a bolt 12. The bender 9 is hinged to lever 10 by a bolt 13 intermediate the ends of said lever.

The bender 9 has connected thereto, as by rivets 14, for instance, the bending head 15 whose lugs 16 are connected by a cross-pin 17. The hook slides between the lugs 16 and under the cross-pin 17. Ears 18 on the head 15 serve as an abutment or stop to prevent the wire loops or handles 5 from slipping up over the tool during the bending and fastening operation.

When using the tool, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the hook 8 is slipped through the wire loop 5, when the tool is vertically arranged, and the end 19 of the hook engaged with the end 6 of the slat 7. With the fulcrum end '11 bearing on the side of the basket, as in Fig. 1, the operator presses the outer end of the lever 1() downwardly as shown in Fig. 2. This action forces the head 15 downwardly and draws the hook 8 upwardly, bending the wire loop or handle 5 inwardly and forcing it over the end 6 of slat 7 as the basket and lid are drawn together, as shown in Fig. 2. This action clears the loop 5 from the hooked end 19 by slipping it past Vthe said end 19; consequently, the tool is freed of the loop 5 when the operation is complete.

In Fig. 3, when the basket is upright, the action of the tool is the same as previously described but, in this instance, the handle or lever 10 is pulled upwardly, instead of downwardly, as the tool is then arranged reversely to its position in Figs. 1 and 2.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A tool for applying the cover to a fruit basket having wire loops or handles on the basket and projections on the cover, comprising a member adapted to exerta closing action on the cover, a second member cooperating therewith adapted to force the wire loops over a projection on the cover, said members being relatively movable and means for relatively shifting said members.

2. A tool for applying the cover to a fruit basket having wire loops or handles on the basket and projections on the cover, comprising a member adapted to exert a closing action on the cover, a second member cooperating therewith adapted to force the wire loops over a projection on the cover, said members being relatively movable, and means for relatively shifting said members in opposite directions to cause them to cooperate to effect the foregoingv actions.

8. A tool for applying the cover to a fruit basket having wire loops or handles on the basket and projections on the cover, comprising a hooked member whose hook is adapted to engage a projection'on the cover, a second member cooperating therewith having a bender adapted to force the wire loopover and pastthe hookedend and over thelprojection on the cover, said members being relatively movable, and means for relatively shifting said members.

4. A tool for applying the cover to a fruit basket having wire loops or handlesl onthe` basket and projections on the cover, comprising a hooked member whose hook is adapted to engage a projection on the cover, a second member cooperating therewith having a bender adapted to force the wire loopf over and past the hooked end and over the projection on the cover, said members being relatively movable, and a lever to Whiclisaid members are hinged and by which they may be relatively shifted.

5. A tool for applying the cover to a fruit basket having wire loops or handles-on the basket and projections on the cover, comprising a hooked member whose hook'is adapted to engage a projection on the cover, a second member having a bender adapted to force the wire loop over and Vpast the hooked end and over the projection on the cover, said hooked member and a second member being slidable alongside each other, and said second'memf ber having means for guiding the hooked member and preventing the latter from separating from the second member during such sliding movements, and means for operating said members.

6. A toolfor applying the cover to a fruit basket having wire loops or handles on the basket and projections on the cover, comprising a hooked member whose hookY i's adapted to engage a projection on the cover, a second member having a bender adapted to force the wire loop over and past the hooked end and over the projection on the cover, said hooked member and a second member being slidable alongside each other, and said llO second member having Ameans for guiding the. hooked member and preventing the latter from separating from the second member during such sliding movements, and a lever to which the hooked member and the seeond member are hinged and whereby they ma be simultaneously shifted with a relative sli ing and substantially parallel movement in opposite directions to effect the foregoing operations. Y

In testimony whereof I ariX my signature.

SAMUEL H. SHELLER. 

